@GemmaBloodCancerUK @LauranBloodCancerUK and anyone else of course!
Any ideas of time frames for autumn booster in Scotland? People here who qualify based on being immunosuppressed have to wait for invite as do their household members - is there any idea when these might start being done? Delighted it’s an easier process in other parts of the UK and at the same time, it causes anxiety that protection levels for others feel like theyre decreasing. Thanks in advance for any reply.
Hi@judesadventures,if this is any help,you can contact NHS inform Scotland.I received my invite by post for 5 the booster and flu vacc in a local centre .They have been good as it was the same last April.Hope that helps.
Bannanacake
Thanks for this. How did you contact Nhs inform? Their online portal doesn’t allow ny hubby to book. He has had 5 jags but this roll out feels the most problematic given he has to wait for letter but i can get done before him as an NHS employee. Appreciate you replying.
Google NHS inform
Scroll down to Coronavirus Vacc,click
Scroll to invitations and appointments
It says local H BOARD info
Click
Choose your local H BOARD.
But not all as good as our area .
Good Luck.
P S @judesadventures
We just looked on NHS inform for info,the invite just turned up.
Just wondering what part of the country you are in. I had the same issue with the 5th jab. GP surgery wouldn’t do it. My husband went along to said surgery on the Saturday and had his. I was refused and had to travel miles to a centre to get it done the following day. We have both been invited for Flu/Covid this time and I did breathe a sigh of relief. Reading your post has made me nervous and thinking, will I have a fight yet again?
This is crazy and I feel so angry that at every stage I have had to fight to get myself protected. I can do that but what about people who just don’t have that ability nor an advocate to help them. It is absolutely outrageous!
Im in Lanarkshire - i think hubby will get sorted but im braced for a fight for my son. Nhs inform says to call Scottish Vacc Helpline to make appt for under 16s (and under eligibility criteria he’s eligible as household member etc) - called them and they say nothing to do with then and didn’t know Inform said it was helpline’s responsibility. They said son has to be invited and also told me criteria has changes and hes NOT eligible! It’s a fight for another day. Thanks folks
I had to fight for both my 4th & 5th, getting rather tired of having to do that now!
I had hoped by now that it would have been easier.
What I find more worrying is the lack of understanding by my GP of the fact that blood cancer patients have had the extra jabs. He didn’t seem to grasp why, what was a 5th vaccine for most people would be a 6th for me.
I’m in NW London
I just find that once again the different parties dealing with the vaccines are saying different things!
Best of luck to you.
Hi @judesadventures,
it is lovely to hear from you and i do hope you are all keeping well?
I can see that the invite has now landed which is great news and also that @Bannanacake has given some brilliant information and advise on contacting your health board via NHS inform.
We do understand that Scotland’s invites are now beginning to be rolled out and it is likely that many will begin to receive their letters in the coming weeks.
Should you need to talk anything through, we are always on hand- 0808 2080 888.
Best Wishes, Lauran
Good news - the NHS England online booking has now opened up booking for household members of those who are immunocompromised . My hubby just booked his slot. Here is the link to the booking site q Book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS
No invitation letter yet but as per advice from Blood Cancer I went online to book my autumn booster. Unfortunately, I have only been offered a dose in busy pharmacies. As I am completely unprotected and have not been in a pharmacy since the start of the pandemic and mask wearing is extremely hit and miss, I contacted my GP by email, as of course you’re not allowed to talk to anyone in person about vaccines!! I was informed that there is a drop in centre running this week as before. I searched this and found this reference on the local CCG page via Google. They do, however, recommend an appointment. GP surgery cannot organise this and there is no mention on NHS booking site. I will attend as a walk in and hope they have vaccine to spare, as someone must be making appointments, and it’s not too busy to fit me in.
The letter I have received via my MP about Evusheld from Lord Kamal, suggests that the immunocompromised are being looked after!!! I have had just one dose of vaccine without a fight. We are not being looked after at all as every time another initiative comes along you wait patiently for the system to work….it doesn’t, safely.
Everything is so hit and miss it’s frightening……both vaccines and CMDUs. Have had more than one letter saying people with Blood Cancer are covered and looked after but it is just not true. The statistics put out by BCUK, I think it was something like 1 in 22 deaths from Jan to Mar this year were people with Blood Cancer when only 1 in 270ish of the population have this disease show this, but it is ignored.
It just seems so hit and miss from the above replies. I have used a small pharmacy for my last 3 vaccines. They noted my details on the 3rd primary and haven’t asked for anything more since. The nurse always has the details of who can have a vaccine and which should be given. I have booked my 6th with them again for this friday and hope things work as well as before. I don’t have a letter this time but intend taking the one issued last time by my hospital which shows why i needed the spring booster. I will keep my fingers crossed in the hope i haven’t spoken too soon.
I would like to have come on here today and tell you I received my booster dose without any hitches! Sorry I can’t. I turned up to find there was no free space for drop ins. I asked to speak to a clinician and someone came outside to speak to me, who she actually was I’m not sure! Anyway she said I could wait if I wished but it would be a long wait and there were a lot of people around and not many wearing masks and it wasn’t being enforced. She said I would be better in a small pharmacy. I explained that my clinician’s advice, indeed even the government states only go in a pharmacy when very quiet or ask someone to go for you, was to stay clear of pharmacies. I was told it was up to me. So what to do? Went back online when I got home to find I could book a vaccine now at this centre, no pharmacies available anyway near where I live delivering vaccines. I have booked one for 2 days time as late as I possibly can and will mask and gel etc and really keep my fingers crossed.
Please Blood Cancer UK take note…we are not being looked after. We are being neglected and given advice to follow but when we need access to something the rest of the population are also accessing we have to dismiss all the advice for the convenience of everyone else. By now most of the people in the immunocompromised group are known, some are added and some may leave but most were on it at the beginning and are still on it. We should be able to go for our vaccines in relative safety and not just muck in with the masses. Once again the system has let me down, others may be luckier but we are not all negotiating a path through Covid easily. The Government is under the impression they are looking after us, I wish it felt like that. It really doesn’t. How can I have confidence that I will get the antivirals when nothing has happened in a straight forward way since the beginning? I am so angry and upset right now, I feel as if I don’t exist in society.
Yes and flu jab my gp surgery rang me my appointment is October 1st
Oh @Lababe how very frustrating for you, I will copy your post to the Blood Cancer UK nurse advisors @BloodCancerUK_Nurses.
I am afraid to say that the great majority of the country has reverted to it’s old normality, and we are in the very small minority that are still vulnerable.
You must feel so angry and upset, be kind to yourself
Had my 6th covid booster yesterdaywhich was moderna, all ok apart from slightly sore arm. Had my flu jab at the same time so im done for awhile now. Get my results from my scan tomorrow so fingers crossed.
Good news about your vaccines @Ruthiebabe1
Please let us know how your results from your scan go, fingers and toes crossed for you.
I’m so sorry @Lababe that sounds so frustrating for you. We are feeding back issues people are having accessing their autumn booster to the NHS and will support them to make the process as efficient as possible for people. Please do give us a call on 0808 2080 888 if you want to talk this through further with us or if there’s anything we can do to support you. I hope your booked appointment goes smoothly, do update us on here if you’re feeling up to it.